Utumishi Blog

Perhaps we’ve been guilty of assuming the gospel on this blog. So let’s start to put that right.

1 John 4:10: “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

It’s a massive surprise which ever way you come at it.

1. The degradation and filth of the Cross is all about Love. It’s about punishment, it’s about glory, it’s about victory but fundamentally it’s about Love. Before he is anything else, from first to last, God is love. An extraordinary, fierce, tender, unbreakable, passionate, overflowing, sacrificial love.
2. To come at it the other way, what is the one thing that is chosen as the definition of love? This blew me away when I saw it. God has given us so much in Jesus – the Holy Spirit, the right to be children of God, the certain hope of a fantastic eternity, purpose, freedom, a relationship with our Maker, the creation itself – but what is the one thing in focus here? Good Friday. Isn’t that striking? Of all the things John could have chosen… it’s the Cross. This is the really big one – this is the very centre of Christianity – the very heart of the gospel – this is the definitive expression of God’s love – Jesus rescuing us from the wrath of God, being the lightening conductor, the perfect lamb on the altar being burnt up in the fire instead of me.

Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!                       (Philip P. Bliss, 1875)